


Paying the Price

by JustAnotherUnderstudy



Series: This Should Totally Be A Thing [30]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Skyfall, Character Death Fix, F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Inspired by Skyfall, Older Woman/Younger Man, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Skyfall, Reunions, Revenge, SPECTRE Fix-It, Skyfall References, Suicidal Thoughts, of sorts, yeah it's a skyfall fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 12:36:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15863745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherUnderstudy/pseuds/JustAnotherUnderstudy
Summary: When you make a deal with the devil, the price is hell.





	Paying the Price

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, so this story just kinda came to me this morning. This is a little darker than I usually go. Also, if you like Mallory, you shouldn't read this.

James sat in the darkness of the empty office awaiting its usual occupant. From his seat in the corner, James had a good view of the door as well as the icy winter outside. The weather matched his mood perfectly.

Presently, he heard a car pull up to the front of the building and someone get out, slam the door, and quickly walk up the front steps. The front door opened and shut, and James heard heavy footsteps heading down the hall toward the room he was in.

The door to the office opened and a man walked over to the desk. He switched on the small desk lamp, and only then noticed James sitting, gun in lap, waiting for him.

He froze, then corrected himself and tried to appear calm. Perhaps it was because it was James that made him comfortable. After all, James was not a 00, so he might not suspect him. But James could see when the facts all clicked in the man’s mind.

“Bond,” he said calmly and moved to sit at the desk.

James pointed his gun and used it to wave him away toward the center of the room.

There was silence as the two men assessed each other.

“So, it’s been you?”

It was phrased as a question, but James could tell by he look in the other man’s eyes that he was only looking for confirmation.

“What did you expect, Mallory?” he asked allowing the ice he felt into his voice.

“Not you, I’m sure you must know that,” he replied. “We don’t even know what this is about.”

“Perhaps I should have come for you first and it would have been more obvious,” James told him.

Mallory only shook his head, and James had to keep himself from pulling the trigger before he had a chance for Tanner to record the confession as he had for all the others.

“Did you think no one would ever question your lack of action at Skyfall?” James asked.

“I did what I could,” Mallory said.

James only stared at him and waited for Mallory’s nerves to begin to get to him.

“Who gave the order?” James asked.

This was still the question he and Tanner had. They had wondered if it wasn’t the PM at first, but after the events with Blofeld and the merger, Tanner had begun to look elsewhere.

“Who wanted us out of the way?” James asked. “Or did they just not want to give M her retirement? Maybe someone in the treasury trying to save money?”

Mallory at least looked aghast at that suggestion.

“Honestly, James, what sort of people do you think we are?” Mallory asked.

“The sort that allow the head of MI6 to be murdered,” James replied calmly.

“You were supposed to protect her,” Mallory rebuffed. “You are the one who kidnapped her and took her away.”

Mallory’s words were not a surprise to James. They had all tried to turn this around on him. And, later tonight, when he was drunk and drowning in his memories, he’d allow the truth of those words to cut him to pieces. And as he fell asleep they’d serve as a reminder to him that when this was done, when he and Tanner had dealt with all of them, it really would finally be over for him.

To Mallory he said nothing.

“Why are you doing this?” Mallory finally asked. “You’re retired, you should be enjoying your life now.”

James gave the man a slight smile.

“I probably would have except my mind just couldn’t let that night go,” he said. “There are other channels you could have used to send some back up, anything, just to make sure she’d be safe.”

James could see on Mallory’s face that the man knew that fact very well.

Tanner and Bond had hashed out every possibility of whom Mallory would implicate. Tanner had a very dark idea, and James only hoped he was right because that would mean that tonight, he’d be done with it. There were two bullets in his gun, and if Mallory gave him the name, gave him final closure only one would be for Mallory. 

Finally, James decided to try Tanner’s theory to see how Mallory reacted.

“It was easier, wasn’t it?” he asked. “Easier to just let her die and me along with her.”

Mallory didn’t react, so James continued.

“She was on her way out anyway, and the side with her enemies outnumbered the side with her allies in the government,” James said. “There would be more relief at her death, and even mine, than concern, so it would be easy to sweep under the proverbial rug.”

Mallory made a slight move and James knew that Tanner was right, that there was no one else. Mallory was the last of them.

“I tried to protect her the best I could,” Mallory said.

James allowed himself a sardonic chuckle since it would be his last laugh.

“Is that what you call letting her die?” he asked.

Mallory shook his head.

“She’s not dead,” he said.

James felt his heart speed up, then he reigned in his hope.

“You’re lying,” he said. “She died in my arms.”

James allowed himself to relive that moment every time he went to confront one of the conspirators. Time had not healed that wound in the least.

Mallory shook his head and recited an address in New Zealand.

“I took her out of the hospital and put her into hiding so no one could find her,” he explained.

The address was seared into James’ mind out of sheer desperation, so he stood and moved toward Mallory. He gave a satisfied smirk when Mallory jumped back slightly.

“Downstairs bath,” he said then waited to follow Mallory out of the room.

He had Mallory drop all his clothes in the hall then shut him in. James ordered him to lock the door then James jammed the lock and rapidly left the house by the back door.

He was halfway to his car, which he’d parked several kilometers away, when he rang Tanner.

“Did you get that, Bill?” he asked.

“Yes,” Bill replied. “I’ve already booked you on a flight.”

Damn, the man was efficient. No wonder M always hated it when he went on holiday.

* * *

James sat in the rental car outside the house his body humming in anticipation.

He’d spoken with Tanner that morning. Mallory hadn’t shown up for work so he’d been forced to send someone round to the man’s house. The excuse on the scene was that of a home invasion which had Vauxhall all up in a blither due to the other murders. Mallory had spent the day trying to convince everyone it had nothing to do with the deaths of the others Tanner and James had already disposed f. And still, it seemed, Mallory didn’t suspect Tanner at all. James hoped it stayed that way because this wasn’t over, even if Mallory hadn’t been lying about M being alive.

There was a movement of the curtains in the front window and James lifted his small binoculars to his eyes to watch the curtains open to reveal someone he thought he’d never see again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he threw open the door of his car and quickly walked toward the house. As he approached, he heard a door open on the side and realized she must be going out to the yard. He walked around, not slowing when she turned, and her eyes widened in surprise. He was on her and pulling her into his arms in seconds. He buried his face into her neck and breathed in the scent of her.

“James, what are you doing here?” she asked.

He pulled away and answered her with a kiss.

She immediately shoved him away.

“What the hell, Bond?”

He gave her a smile that probably looked as dopey as it felt.

“You’re alive,” he said.

“Obviously,” she replied. “But you cannot be here. How did you find me?”

The thought of Mallory sobered him.

“M, we have to go,” he said.

He grabbed her hand, and to his relief, she followed along quickly. He opened the car door for her and then ran around to get into the driver’s seat. Then they were gone.

Tanner had arranged for a place not far to lie low in for a few days before James would secret her out of the country.

“What’s going on Bond?” she asked. “And why the hell did you kiss me?”

James shifted gears and increased speed as he merged onto a highway not far from M’s home.

“What’s going on is that Tanner and I are rescuing you,” he said. “Mallory gave me the address to buy himself more time.”

He was about to go into the full explanation when M interrupted him.

“You’re the one who killed those government members,” she said.

James waited for her to figure out the rest. She was smart enough to know he wouldn’t just kill people for the thrill of it, and obviously she hadn’t kept herself completely from the news so she must know what had happened over the previous year with the attempted merger and the end of SPECTRE.

To his surprise, M was silent the rest of the drive. Though, if she had figured it out, it would be a lot to process.

James exited the highway and found the garage where Tanner had promised a car to trade. They switched out and James drove down a long tunnel until they came out in a parking garage two kilometers away. Then they drove at a regular pace through the city until he was satisfied that no one had them.

When they arrived at the house, James pressed the button for the automatic garage and they drove inside. He leaned back in the seat as the garage door closed behind them.

“What did they do, Bond?”

Hearing M’s voice was like a soothing balm after so many years. James reached over and took her hand in his.

“They let you die,” he said. “Then they orchestrated the dismantling of the 00 program and the merger of MI5 and MI6.”

“Were they with SPECTRE?” she asked the obvious question.

James shook his head.

“No, they were just power hungry,” he told her. “SPECTRE just used that to get them to play right into their hands.”

James looked over at her and smiled again. He couldn’t believe that less than 24-hrs earlier he thought he’d seen his last sunset. He lifted her hand to his lips and closed his eyes as he kissed her fingers.

“Let’s go in and have a look around,” he said.

Upon entering the house, they found a fully stocked kitchen and one bedroom with a queen-sized bed.

James chuckled and shook his head. Tanner knew far too much.

“What do you find funny, Bond?” she asked. “Do you enjoy sleeping on the floor?”

“I think Tanner knows I have other plans,” he said.

“Tanner?” she looked at him with surprise. “So he’s…”

James nodded.

“He’s been helping me,” James explained as they walked back to the small living room.

There was only a loveseat so he sat next to M.

“It was actually Tanner who came to me with the research he’d been doing since Skyfall,” James said. “Once he laid it out for me, I returned to work, unofficially.”

M sat next to James, lost in thought. He watched her and began to feel oddly content. It was not a feeling he’d had often in his tumultuous life. But, as he took in M and their surroundings, he thought he could get used to this. Just her and him and a small place.

M closed her eyes and shook her head.

“I would never have suspected some of those men,” she said. “And definitely not Mallory.”

“Maybe he wanted your job,” James said.

M made a soft guffaw sounding noise.

“Well, that’s a ridiculous thing to want,” she said. “That job is life consuming. Anyone who would pursue it is in for a very rough road.”

“I’ll mention that to Tanner,” James said.

M snapped her eyes toward him.

“Tanner will be the new M?” she asked.

“I think he should,” James said. “But he’s not really onboard. He does know it seems inevitable at this point. As soon as he presents our evidence, with my voice redacted, of course, they will most likely promote him.”

M nodded.

“I like Bill,” she said. “I wouldn’t wish that job on him.”

They sat in silence again for a while before James asked if she’d like some tea. Then they moved into the small kitchen and began their preparations. James chuckled again as they moved about and he kept having to squeeze by her. He’d bet his Aston that Tanner was having a good laugh over what he’d set up here.

M seemed to notice that as well.

“First the single room, then the solo couch, now the tiny kitchen,” she commented. “You’d think Tanner was expecting us to get cozy or something.”

James was behind her as she was trying to move from the fridge to the stove and he leaned in to answer.

“Or something, I imagine,” James breathed out against her ear.

“You must be hard pressed for women if you’re interested in me, Bond,” she said.

He lowered his hands to her hips and pressed against her back. She couldn’t have helped but notice how aroused he’d become.

“James,” she gasped.

Then she turned, but he didn’t move to get away.

“What on earth has gotten into you?” she asked. “And why is Tanner in on it?”

“I’ve missed you,” he told her. “Tanner knows.”

“Missed me?” she asked. “But we were never like this before.”

“I know,” he admitted. “One of my biggest regrets.”

He leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers, thrilled when she began to respond.

She shifted in his arms and he saw her reach round to turn off the heat on the kettle.

“The tea can wait,” she muttered against his lips.

* * *

Gareth Mallory got out of the car when the driver opened the door and stepped out onto the walk in front of his flat. He’d stopped looking over his shoulder a week ago. It had been more than a month since Bond had visited his flat and then taken off to spirit away the former M to parts he hadn’t been able to determine. That was all fine as far as he was concerned.

Obviously, Bond had decided that having his former boss back was enough. He could certainly understand the attraction. He’d felt the same about the woman, he often did feel that way about women in power.

Upon entering the house, he picked up the mail off the floor and headed to his office. He switched on the light on the desk and froze. This time he didn’t even try to recover.

“Did you think we were finished here?” Bond asked.

He looked far less stressed than the last time Mallory had seen the man. The anger in his eyes had been replaced by something else, and the tone of his skin told Mallory he’d been getting a lot of sun.

Mallory straightened but didn’t move from behind the desk.

“You found her,” he said.

James nodded.

“Yes, and we have been getting to know each other better,” he smiled, which almost made him look friendly, but Mallory knew better.

He waited for James to state his purpose.

“It doesn’t change anything, though,” he said. “You still should have sent some sort of backup.”

James stood, and Mallory knew he’d been a fool to underestimate the man. That was all he had time to think before he hit the floor and knew no more.

* * *

 

Tanner didn’t smile at the update from Bond. But he did a few minutes later when James sent him an “ussie” of himself and Olivia. He couldn’t recall ever seeing both of them smiling like that.

He’d have his work cut out for him in the morning, but there was one last job that needed to be finished, one he hadn’t included James in because it would be too personal. Olivia had called him when James had left her to confirm her orders and now Tanner had a call to make.

The phone rang, and a woman’s voice came over the line.

“007,” he said. “It’s time.”

He hung up, knowing the woman would take care of the job cleanly. Much more cleanly than her predecessor might have.

Walking into his bedroom he dressed and turned out the light before he crawled into bed. Normally he might have read a little first but there would be far too much to do tomorrow when the first news of the day would be that the head of SPECTRE had been found dead in his cell of apparent natural causes.


End file.
